Chrysanthemum plant named Cindy

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Cindy having very small lavender-pink flowers, with the immature, unexpanded ray florets appearing as a darker lavender eye; very freely branching, ten week flower response, and excellent performance under low light, cool weather conditions.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofDendranthema grandiflora, commonly referred to as Chrysanthemum andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Cindy.

Cindy is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objectiveof creating new Chrysanthemum cultivars with an abundance of smalllavender-pink flowers, excellent performance when grown under dark coolconditions, and compact growth habit, thereby making it ideally suitedfor use in pot mum programs. Such traits in combination were not presentor needed improvement in previously available commercial cultivars.

Cindy was originated from a hybridization made by applicant in acontrolled breeding program in Parrish, Fla. in 1984. The female parentwas Excel, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,495. The male parent ofCindy was Bingo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,972. Cindy wasdiscovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated parentage by applicant on Dec. 30, 1984 in a controlledenvironment in Parrish, Fla.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Cindy was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in February,1985 in a controlled environment in Parrish, Fla. by a technicianworking under formulations established and supervised by applicant.Horticultural examination of selected units initiated in November, 1985has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as hereindisclosed for Cindy are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

Cindy has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment suchas temperature, light intensity, and day length. The followingobservations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown inParrish, Fla. under greenhouse conditions which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Cindy, which in combination distinguish thisChrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Ten (10) week flower response.

2. Very small flowers (3-4 cm in diameter).

3. Lavender-pink ray floret color. Immature, unexpanded ray florets aredarker than the mature, fully expanded ray florets giving the flower theappearance of a "dark eye".

4. Very freely branching.

5. Individual ray florets 8-20 mm in length and 4-7 mm in width.

6. Not suitable for production during periods of warm weather. Attemperatures above 80° F., Cindy develops bracts in the center of theflower.

7. Performs extremely well under low light, cool weather conditions.

8. Medium green, small foliage.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to Cindy is the maternal parent Excel. Incomparison to Excel, Cindy has a two week later flower response, a morevigorous growth habit, lavender-pink flower color, and is a betterperformer under low light, cool weather conditions. The decorativeflower form and small flower size of Cindy are similar to those samecharacteristics of Excel.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical inflorescence andfoliage characteristics of Cindy, with colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type. The photograph is in black andwhite, with a few flowers being colored to accurately depict true flowercolor.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determinedbetween 2:15 and 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, 1988 under fluorescent light atParrish, Fla.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora, cv. Cindy.

Commercial.--Decorative pot mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Double.

Diameter across face.--3-4 cm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).--Lavender-pink.

Color (upper surface).--Immature, unexpanded ray florets are 77B;mature, fully expanded ray florets are 75B.

Color (under surface).--75D.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--Yellow.

Color (immature).--Yellow-green.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present in disc florets only.

Gynoecium.--Present in both disc and ray florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--29 cm above the edge of the pot; height may vary depending upongrowing conditions and cultural practices.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--137A.

Color (under surface).--138B.

Shape.--Ovate, deeply lobed with crenate margins.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant namedCindy, as illustrated and described, and parts thereof.